Background & Objective: In pregnancy, the serum level of cancer antigen-۱۲۵ (CA-۱۲۵) increases in the first trimester and abortion. However, different studies reported conflicting results about the use of serum
CA-۱۲۵ to determine the prognosis of threatened abortion. In the present study, we try to determine if the measurement of
CA-۱۲۵ level could be used as a predictor of outcome in women with threatened abortion.
Materials & Methods: This prospective case-control study was performed on ۵۸ patients with threatened abortion and ۵۸ healthy pregnant women with a gestational age of fewer than ۲۰ weeks (as the control group). In both groups, serum
CA-۱۲۵ level was measured. The patients were followed to determine who completed the pregnancy period and who eventually miscarried. Finally, the levels of
CA-۱۲۵ in these groups were compared.
Results: The mean age of patients was ۲۸.۴۷ and ۲۷.۸۴ in the case and control groups, respectively; there was no significant statistical difference between the two groups (۹۵% CI: -۱.۹۴ to ۳.۱۸, P=۰.۶۳۲). Also, there was no significant difference between them for BMI (۹۵% CI: -۱.۰۹ to ۱.۳۸, P=۰.۸۱۳), gestational age (۹۵% CI: -۱.۳۱ to ۱.۰۴, P=۰.۸۱۶), and parity (P=۰.۵۱). The mean serum level of
CA-۱۲۵ in the control group was ۲۲.۵۱ ± ۶.۸۲ IU/mL, and in the threatened abortion group was ۲۷.۷۰ ± ۷.۵۰ IU/mL. This difference was statistically significant (P<۰.۰۰۱). Of the patients, ۵۱.۷۲% with threatened abortion continued their pregnancy, and ۴۸.۲۸% eventually miscarried. The mean serum levels of
CA-۱۲۵ were ۲۵.۳۰±۶.۶۳ IU/mL and ۳۰.۲۸±۷.۶۳ IU/ml in patients who continued the pregnancy and miscarried, respectively (P=۰.۰۱).
Conclusion: A single measurement of the maternal
CA-۱۲۵ may be used as an available, inexpensive prognostic test to determine the outcome of threatened abortion. However, a small number of patients is the main limitation of the present study. More studies with a larger sample size are required to accept the role of maternal
CA-۱۲۵ in predicting the outcome of threatened miscarriage.